English Dub Review: Tower of God “The One-Horned Ogre”

 

Overview(Spoilers Below):

Tower of God’s seemingly simple game of Tag reaches its final chapter as Teams A and B are forced to think outside of the box to defeat their opponents. The latest test nears its conclusion as various members of both teams are locked in standstills of both physical strength and moralistic values. Hatz of the Spearbearers faces a steep challenge and Bam is forced to appeal to Endorsi’s sense of reason while he also staves off the threat of Quant and tries to keep Rachel safe at all costs. Bam has never had a more crowded dance card, but powerful new Shinsu developments keep the battle unpredictable until a winner finally emerges.

Our Take:

Many episodes of Tower of God kick off with a prophetic glimpse into some Regular’s past as select formative events from their childhood help further shade in more details for many of the anime’s mysterious characters. “The One-Horned Ogre” utilizes this approach with Endorsi Jahad, and while this flashback is very brief, it does provide a major detail about the character that’s pivotal towards the battle plan that she puts into motion here. “The One-Horned Ogre” isn’t just a success for what it does with Endorsi as a character, but it’s also a major leap forward for the series as several characters make real progress in this episode.

Endorsi wastes no time in proving just how much of an evil genius she can be, yet her most recent culling strategy for the Fisherman corresponds to a dark chapter from her past. Endorsi may be part of the Jahad family, but that doesn’t always guarantee a comfortable existence and her childhood helps explain the tiered system that’s subjected to the Jahad youth. Endorsi had to get used to a poverty-stricken existence unless she did something about it, which is ultimately what pushes her to kill all of her siblings so that she becomes the new favorite. It’s a horrible history, but one that’s allowed Endorsi to survive. Much like with Anaak’s painful history, it appears that a traumatic youth is par for the course for most Jahad members.

It can’t be stressed enough just how much ass Endorsi kicks in this episode. She was amazing in her fight against Anaak a few episodes back (which apparently left a major impression on her), but she’s even more intimidating here. Endorsi basically runs the show as the rest of the Fisherman struggle to figure out any sort of strategy to take away her advantage.

Bam’s complete naivety and sheer confusion over Endorsi’s actions is heartbreaking. Endorsi’s appearance is very unassuming, but the way in which she mocks Bam’s innocence only emphasizes her coldblooded nature and how different they really are. He can’t comprehend why she’d attack her own teammates, but Endorsi insults Bam for his shortsighted nature.

Endorsi points out the fact that they’re currently teammates means nothing for the future developments of the Tower. Even if they’re temporarily brought together that doesn’t change the fact that everyone is on their own in here. Bam is a character who continually opens his heart up to others and genuinely believes that allies are the best strategy to ascend this structure. Endorsi’s attitude represents everyone else who hasn’t forgotten that this is a competition at the end of the day and that any alliances here are just a means to an end.

Bam tries to use Endorsi’s tough childhood to evoke empathy for those that are weaker than her because she knows what it’s like to be in that lowly position. However, Endorsi stands firm in her beliefs that it’s justified to be violent towards others if it achieves what’s necessary. Such hardships pushed Endorsi to strive harder in life and she can’t be held responsible if others don’t experience similar epiphanies. Bam and Endorsi’s argument raises some thoughtful questions for this competition, but it also causes enough of a distraction that Endorsi and Bam are caught off guard by an Ignition Weapon, which blasts them both in the face.

Despite the big show that Endorsi put on earlier, she exhibits real concern for Bam when it looks like he’s been hurt. Bam reiterates how he plans to get to the top of the Tower, but that he’ll do so without betraying people or using those around him as pawns. He wants to do this with honor and he’s beginning to have less patience for those that lack a moral compass. Curiously, this realization only makes Bam more determined to find Rachel so that she doesn’t succumb further to negative urges. Endorsi reminds Bam of the futility of this goal, but it only makes him want to “rescue” Rachel even more, whether that’s what she wants or not.

Bam and Rachel continue to trade virtues, but at the same time a dramatic showdown between the Spearbearers and Quant breaks out. The swordfight between Hatz and Quant is actually tense at times. Hatz has endless courage for this showdown, but he still seems out of his element. The spontaneous aggression that Quant throws at Hatz pushes him onto the defensive. It really makes this battle come alive and feel different than the confrontation that preoccupies the Fisherman elsewhere.

There’s a violent beat where Quant aggressively grabs Hatz by the face that straight up feels like a move from out of Thanos’ playbook. This fight takes an amazing, unexpected turn during a humorous moment where Hatz shouts out for support, only to learn that his fellow Spearbearers have abandoned him. Rather than take advantage of this moment, Quant instead sets his sights on the traitors who have turned their back on Hatz. He takes a brief recess from his primary battle to offer up some swift justice where it’s otherwise needed.

These disparate battles start to overlap and Rachel keeps a watchful eye over everything from the Tower’s futuristic control room. Rachel’s viewing party gets interrupted by Hoh, who really doesn’t have anything against Rachel, but he knows how important she is to Bam. Hoh understands that if he eliminates Rachel than he’ll also get rid of Bam by extension since she’s the only reason he entered the Tower in the first place.

It’s a solid strategy, but Hoh really loses it after he learns that he’s also been manipulated to do the bidding of others. It’s news that sends him into a raging tailspin. As Hoh ungracefully falls apart, Bam and Quant use the opportunity to settle the score with Shinsu. Bam is optimistic about his odds, but Quant only demonstrates just how much Bam has to learn about the ways of this magical power.

Quant shows off a new Shinsu ability when he freezes Bam in place by pouring some Shinsu into his body to paralyze him. It totally catches Bam off guard, but also hints at the highly creative ways in which this energy can be used in battle. Shinsu is much more interesting than just some flashy projectile power blasts. Bam soon gets the opportunity to be the one that shocks everyone when he rather easily copies Quant’s technique and uses it against him. Bam’s proficiency as a Shinsu user continues to reach exciting, but also distressing, heights.

Tower of God hasn’t been devoid of bloodshed and casualties so far, but it still comes as a shock when Hoh and Rachel receive extensive wounds. It’s a tragic scene that brings out a lot of complex emotions in the Regulars and Rankers that have been pulled together, but most importantly it finally gives Rachel and Bam the reunion that he’s desperately been after. Tower of God also deserves some credit for how it allows this moment to happen now and doesn’t reserve the scene for the final episodes of the season.

Hoh is a loose cannon through the entire episode, yet “The One-Horned Ogre” tries to create sympathy for him and have him go out on a note of understanding rather than malice. It’s even poignant how Hoh’s history is practically the inverse of what Endorsi experienced. Endorsi had to kill everyone around her to stand out and be known, whereas Hoh is plagued by the endless casualties around him that he was unable to prevent. It’s a powerful way to book end the installment and even though both of these characters represent different things, their pasts and fates both speak to the crushing nature of the Tower and how it caters to the strongest more than anything else.

Bam and Endorsi have a lot to deal with in “The One-Horned Ogre,” but by the time that they part ways at the end of the episode they’ve found a strange understanding in each other’s respective approaches. There’s an all-too-brief sequence where Bam and Endorsi work together against Quant and show just how incredible they can be as a team. The conclusion of the game of Tag may feel a little rushed, but that honestly helps sell the nature of how Endorsi is able to take Quant by surprise. It’s a fun ending that reaffirms Endorsi’s greatness and secures the victory for Team B. Now it’s onto the next test, with everyone a little more careful, agitated, and stronger than before.

Story progression aside, “The One-Horned Ogre” is also an aesthetic delight. Kevin Penken’s score for the series is always fantastic, but his compositions here are so damn good. There’s this electric guitar rock quality that becomes more intense as the episode goes on. The score that kicks in right after Serena’s first slap to Endorsi is also magical stuff and immediately marks these two for an inevitable collision course. All of the fight scenes in this installment are pleasures to watch, but the animation during Endorsi and Hoh’s flashbacks is truly gorgeous and adds to the heavy emotion of those scenes.

“The One-Horned Ogre” is one of the best episodes that Tower of God has put together and it features a very satisfying conclusion to the “Tag Test” that’s consumed the past several episodes. “The One-Horned Ogre” really offers something for everyone as it digs into the philosophical underpinnings of the characters, it shows off plenty of action and Shinsu theatrics (including the introduction of a new technique), plus it also contains the reconciliation between Bam and Rachel that some audiences have been waiting for since episode one. There is still a lot on Tower of God’s plate and Bam has only made himself a larger target to those around him, but the final leg of this season looks like it’s about to tackle its biggest stories yet and that it will not disappoint.

Oh, and Serena’s really thrown down the gauntlet with that slap to Endorsi. If you lay skin on the disgruntled Princess of Jahad then you better be ready for her to dish it back ten-fold.